Who Sinned That We Find Ourselves in Today's Economic Predicament?

Sunday Service 

1st September, 2024

Speaker: Rev. Shem Joel Sauna

Text: John 9:1-9; John 5:1-9

Topic: Who Sinned That We Find Ourselves in Today's Economic Predicament?

The Jewish belief during the time of Christ held that when someone was born with a disability, it was because of sin—either the individual’s or their parents’. This belief persisted up to the days of Jesus, as illustrated in John 9:1-9. The disciples asked Jesus, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus replied that neither the man nor his parents sinned, but rather, his condition was so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:3).

Similarly, when we look at the economic challenges we face today, it’s tempting to ask, "Who sinned that we find ourselves in this predicament?" But just as in the case of the blind man, God may be allowing these situations to unfold for a greater purpose—so that His glory can be revealed.

Visitation by NLFA-Women Group during the Church Service

The Israelites in Egypt faced the threat of extinction and endured the hardship of slavery. But at the right time, God sent a deliverer, Moses, to lead them out of bondage. In the same way, we are going through various challenges, but God has a purpose in all of them. Though the answer may seem delayed, it will surely come. As Habakkuk 2:3 reminds us, "Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come."

The story of the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5:1-9 is another reminder of God’s timing. The man had been waiting for 38 years, yet when Jesus spoke to him, he was healed instantly and walked away with his mat as Jesus commanded. This story reminds us that God sees our struggles and has plans to intervene at the appointed time.

Jeremiah 29:11 reassures us that God has plans for us—plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. Life may seem challenging now, but as Psalm 30:5 says, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." We must continue to trust in God, believing that our current difficulties will not last forever.

Proverbs 3:5 instructs us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." In these trying times, may we be people who depend entirely on God, knowing that if He doesn’t help us, no one can. Let us trust in His wisdom and timing, confident that He will bring us through every trial for the glory of His name.

May the Lord help us to remain steadfast in our faith and dependence on Him, now and always, to the glory of His name!

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